Feeder for steam-generators.



Patented lune 27, |899.

No. 627,5lo. A

W. KOUZNEZDFF.

FEEDER FUR STEAM GENERATORS.

(Application med Nov. 21, 189s.)

3 Sheets-Sheet l.

(N0 Model.)

IN VEN T OR f7/MM d Attorney WINESSES YH: Nonms Pzrans co, PHoTo-uwq, wAsHmGToN, D. c.

No. 627,5I0. Patented lune 27, |899. W. KOUZNEZDFF.

FEEDER FOR STEAM GENERATURS.

(Anuman mai mv, 21, 169s.)

3 Sheets-Sheet 2 (No Model.)

.l l. l/ Will.

IN VEN T OR l Attorney WTNESSES' TH: mams percus co.. Pnofouwo., wAsHmcmuN. D. c4

No. 627,5I0. Patented lune 27, |899.

W. KUUZNEZUFF. FEEDER FUB'STEAM GENERATORS.

(Appcatin led Nov. 2l., 1898.)

3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

(No Model.)

WITNESSES 6439. f"

NVENTORd 1 @41- @29%.

rm; uanms PETERS co. Pnmouwn.. wAsHmaYoN, u. c.

NiT-nn STATES A1 lVASILIY KOUZNEZOFF, OF MOSOOVV, RUSSIA.

FEEDER FOR STEAM-GENERATORS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 627,510, dated June 27, 1899.

Application filed November 21, 1898. Serial No. 697,084. (No model.)

T0 all whom tim/ty concern:

Be it known that I, WAsILrY KOUZNEZOFF, of Moscow, Empire of Russia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Feeders for Steam-Generators and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it ap# pertains to make and use the same.v

My invention relates to an improvement in steam-generators, and relates more especially to an improvement in railway-locomotives.

As at present constructed railway-locomotives which are capable of generating a suflicient amount of steam to haul trains attheA required speed on level or practically level sections of road are incapable of generating .a suflicient'amount of steam for pulling such trains atV the required speed over upgrades and on specially-heavy grades. In practice it is necessary to either split the train into two o r more sections 'to enable a single locomotive to pull it in sections over heavy grades or two or more locomotives are coupled to the train and their combined power is used in pulling it over suchgrades.

The object of my invention is to provide means for storing surplus-heat energy that is generated in a locomotive while at rest or while running on level or downgrade sections of the road and for utilizing such surplusheat energy in increasing the effective power of the locomotive while drawing trains on upgrade sections of the road.

A further object of my invention is to provide means for automatically feeding hot water from a locomotive-boiler into an accumulator and means for automatically feeding the hot water thus stored in the accumulator back into the boiler again when the load on the locomotive is such as to require the generation of an extra amount of steam.

A further object of my invention is to provide means for1 automatically feeding hot water from a'locomotiv'e-boiler into an accumu# lator and means for utilizingthe steam generated in the accumulator to automatically force water from the locomotive-tender into the boiler.

With these objects in View my invention consists, first, in a method of storing and utilizing surplus-heat energy, which consists in `forcing hot Water from a steam-boiler into an accumulator and in automatically returning the hot water from the accumulator to the boiler whenever an abnormal su pply of steam is required to compensate for an abnormal increase of load on the engine operated by such steam-supply, and, second, a method of operating locomotives which consists in automatically forcing hot water from the boiler to an accumulator and storing it therein and in automatically transferring the hot water from the accumulator back into the boiler, and thereby provide and maintain an increased supply of steam to compensate for an increase of load on the locomotive.

My invention also lconsists in the combination, with a locomotive-boiler and a reservoir or accumulator, of means for supplying the reservoir or accumulator with hot water from the boiler and automatically feeding the said hot water from the reservoir or accumulator to the boiler to provide and maintain such an additional supply of steam as may be required by the additional load imposed upon the locomotive in pulling a train on an upgrade.

The invention further consists in the combination, with a steam-boiler, an injector therefor, and a reservoir or accumulator, of means for supplying the reservoir or accumulator with hot water and for automatically discharging the hot water therefrom into the boiler and means for utilizingy steam in the reservoir or accumulator for operating the injector.

The invention further consists in certain novel features of construction and combinations and arrangements of parts, as will be hereinafter set forth, and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view, partly in elevation, illustrating my improvement-s. Fig. 2 is a transverse sectionalview, partly in elevation. Fig. 3 is a View of a slight modication.

A represents a locomotive-boilenand B the fire-box. AtankoraccumulatorCisdisposed above the water-line of the boiler and ispreferably supported directly over the same by means of legs or standards l. If inconvenient, however, to place the tank or accumulator directly over the boiler, two smaller tanks 2 2 may be located on opposite sides roo thereof, as shown in Fig. 3, the tank or tanks being in either case above the water-line of the boiler.

While I have shown the tanks as being cylindrical, it is evident that they may be of any desired shape. lf desired, the tank may conform to the shape of the boiler and be supported thereon. In such construction the upper and lower walls ot' the tank might be formed concentric with the wall of the boiler, or other construct-ions might be adopted without involving a departure from the invention.

To prevent any undue radiation of heat, I have represented the tank as being covered by a layer .e of asbestos and an outer covering z of wood; but any suitable material and constructions of covering may be employed which will serve to prevent anyundue radiation and waste of heat energy stored in the accumulator.

A pipe 3 communicates at its upper end with the upper portion of the interior space in the accumulator, while its lower end extends downwardly into the boiler and termi- Dates about seven inches above the top or crown-sheet of the lire-box. In pipe 3 is located a valve 4. Pipe 5 communicates at one end with the bottom of the tank or accumulator C and extends downwardly into the boiler, so as to terminate about four inches above the top or crown sheet of the hre-box, the said pipe 5 being provided with a valve 6.

A steam-pipe 7 communicates at one end with the top of the tank or accumulator C and serves to convey steam therefrom to the injector S and operate the latter for the purpose of forcing water from the tank in the tender to the boiler. A valve-casing 9 is locatedin steam-pipe 7, and within. said valvecas-iug'three valves a b c are located. The valves a and b are connected with and operated simultaneously by a valve-rod 10, while the valve `c is adapted to be operated by a separate rodv 1l. A short pipe 12 communicates at one end' with the valve-casing 9 between the valves a and b and at its other end communicates with a valve-casing 13, containing a normally open valve 14. The valvecasing 13 also communicates with the steamspace of the boiler A by means of a short pipe l5. The purpose ofthe valve 14 is to regulate the admission ot` steam from the boiler to the injector. (lVhen the injector is fixed directly to the boiler, this valve is not necessary, as the injector will' be provided with a valve which will perform the same functions.) By closing the valve 14 more or less the admission of steam from the boiler tothe injector can be so regulated as to allow the steam to flow from the accumulator to the latter. The valve c, hereinbefore referred to, serves to regulate the admission of steam from the accumulator to the injector, and by closing this valve communication between the accumulator and the boiler by way of-steam-pipe 7 can be intercepted, which is done in the event that valve 1G in said steampipe should fail to close properly. For the purpose of closing the valve 16 automatically when the accumulator becomes filled (in a manner presently explained) the stem 17 of said valve is connected with the pivoted arm 1S of a iioat 19, located in the accumulator. It is evident that when the accumulator becomes filled the valve 16 will be closed by the elevation ot' the float, and thus prevent the entrance of water to the steam-pipe 7 and also cutting olf the supply of steam from the accumulator to the injector.

A crank-arm (l is secured to the shaft d', which constitutes the pivotal support of the float-arm 1S, and to this crank-arm one end of a rod e is pivoted. The other end of the rod e is connected with the arm f of an indicator g, located in the locomotive-cab. By these means the engineer may be constantly informed of the level of water in the accumulator.

To effect the automatic operation of' the accumulator, the valves c and 6 are fully opened and the valve 4 is opened slightly-viz. about one-eighth of an inch. The valve 14 is also adj usted to restrict the iiow of steam f rom the boilei` to the in jector. Vith the, valves c, 4, G, and 14e thus adjusted when the valve a is opened (the valve 14C being properly regulated) steam from the accumulator and boiler will flow to. the injector, and if the level of the water in the boiler is lower than the bottom of the pipe 3 then there will be a free communication between the steam-space of the boiler and the space in the upper portion of the accumulator, and the result will be that the pressure of steam in the boiler will force the water from the accumulator intothe boiler through the pipe 5. As soon as the level of' the water in the boiler rises so as to cover' the lower end of pipe 3 the pressure of the steam in the accumulator C will be lower than in the boiler, and the water will be forced by the pressure of steam in the boiler from ihe latter into the accumulator through pipe 5 until the level of water in the accumulator rises so as to cause the iioat 19 to be elevated' and close the valve 16. This will result in stopping the supply of steam from the accumulator to tl1e` injector; -but the operation of the injector may be continued, so as to raise the level of the water in the boiler above the end of pipe 3, if desired, by means of steam supplied from the boiler through the valve 14, or the same result may be effected by means of another injector. As soon asthe level of the water in the boiler of the locomotive going up a grade descends below the lower end of pipe 3 the pressure of steam ot' the boilerwill automatically force the hot water from the accumulator into the boiler, and thereby insure a quick generation of a'sufiicient amount of steam to enable the locomotive to haul the train up the grade. As the filling of the accumulatorwith hot water andv its flow therefrom into the boi-ler areV automatically performed, the engineer before leaving a station IOO IIO

will see that the level of water in the boiler is at the usual height, (the same as if the accum ulator did not exist,) and should he nd that it is below the limit he will force water into the boiler by means of the injector connected with the accumulator, paying due attention to the adjust-ment of the valves c, 4, and 6, of which the valves c and 6 will be opened in full and the valve 4 opened only slightly-about one-eighth of an inch. As soon as the accumulator has been filled With water the injector supplied with steam from the accumulator will cease to operate, and the e11- gineer may continue to pump water into the boiler by means of another injector, or he may close the valve c and continue to pump `with the injector 8 by permitting the passage of a sufficient amount of steam through the valve 14 for the purpose. This is rendered possible by the provision of the accumulator, as the water at a high temperature from the accumulator permits steam to be supplied from it to the boiler with a minimum number of units of calories, and therefore the draft in the hre-box and tubes can be much less than without the use of the accumulator.

If the Valve 16 in steam-pipe 7 is sufciently strong and reliable to prevent any possible escape of steam from the accumulator when said valve is closed, the valve c need not be closed when the operation of the injector is to be continued after the accumulator has been lled.

The injectors need not be used on grades forpumping water until the level in the boiler reaches the lowest safe and permissible limit.

When the train is very heavy and its progress is impeded by the condition of the track in bad weather andthe Whole amount of water in the accumulator has been exhausted, with the level of water in the boiler so lowered as to compel the engineer to pump water to the boiler from the tender, this may be done by an auxiliary injector. (Not shown.) As soon as the pressure of steam begins to increase in the boiler audit again flows through the valve c then the injector 8 can be used. In fact, injector 8 alone may be used for supplying waterto the boiler, as before mentioned, if the valve 16 is adequate to prevent the passage of steam from the accumulator, and the auxiliary injector usually employed on locomotives may be omitted.

When the train is at rest at a station and the pressure of steam in the boiler increases, and also when the train is running on level or downgrade sections of the road, the accumulator will be automatically supplied with hot water from the boiler, and at such times the boiler may be supplied with water from the tender. When the locomotive is pulling a train upgrade, the hot water in the accumulator is automaticallyfed into theboiler, which insures a prompt and ample generation and supply of steam sufficient in amount to enable the locomotive to pull the train up the grade.

My improvement is of comparatively small cost iu its construction and application, is simple in its arrangement and organization of parts, is automatic in its operation, and insures great economy in the practical operation of railway-locomotives.

While l have described my improvement and its mode of operation as applied to a railway locomotive, it is evident that it can be advantageously applied to stationary boilers which supply steam to engines that are subjected to Widely-varying loads, and hence I would have it understood thatl in no wise restrict my invention to any particular type or construction of steam-generators.

From the foregoing explanation of one embodiment of my invention and of its mode of operation it willbe observed that the surplusheat energy of the boiler is stored in the water that is fed from the boiler to the accumulator and remains stored therein until it is fed into the boiler and steam is generated therefrom'. The heat energy that is stored in the steam generated in the accumulator is utilized in forcing water from the tender into the boiler, and thus the construction is such as to insure the maximum of efficiency and economy.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

' 1. The combination with a boiler, means for feeding water thereto from a supply-tank, and an accumulator, of means for supplying said accumulator with hot Water from the boiler, and means for discharging hot water from the accumulator into the boiler, whenever the water in the boiler falls below a predetermined level, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination with a boiler, means IOO for feeding water thereto from a supply-tank and an accumulator, of means for automatically feeding hot water from the boiler into.-

the accumulator, and means for automatically feeding the hot water from the accumulator into the boiler.

3. The combination with a boiler, an accumulator located above the Water-line of the boiler, and an injector, of meaps for supplying hot water from the boiler to the accumulator and a pipe communicating with the accumulator and injector for supplying steam to the latter.

4. The combination with a boiler, an accumulator and an injector, of a steam connection between the accumulator and injector and means for automatically discharging hot water from the boiler to the accumulator and for automatically feeding the hot Water from the accumulator to the boiler.

5. The combination with a locomotiveboiler, means for feeding cold water thereto from a supply-tank, and an accumulator, located above the water-line of the boiler,.of means for automatically discharging hot water from the boiler into the accumulator, and means for automatically feeding hot water from the accumulator into the boiler, whenever the water in the boiler falls below a predetermined level, substantially as set forth.

G. The combination with a locomotiveboiler, an accumulator, means forautomatically feeding hot water from the boiler into the accumulator and means for automatically discharging hot water from the accumulator into the boiler, of an injector for pumping water into the boiler, a steam-pipe com muncating with the steam-space of the accumulator and with said injector and a valve in said steam-pipe, substantially as set forth.

7. The combination with a boiler, an accumulator and means for causing hot water to enter the accumulator from the boiler and to pass from the accumulator to the boiler, of an injector, a pipe connecting the steam-space of the accumulator with the injector, a Valvecasing in said pipe and two independentlyoperating valves in said \f*alvecasing.

S. The combination with a boiler, an accu-O mulator and means for supplying said accumulator with hot water from the boiler and discharging hot water from the accumulator to the boiler, of au injector, a steam-pipe communicating with the steam-space of the accumulator and with the injector, a Valve in said casing, and a Heat-Valve in the accumulator for said pipe, substantially as set forth.

f). The combination with a boiler, an acculator with hot water from the boiler, of an in-` jector, a steam-pipe communicating with the steam-space of the accumulator and the injector, a Valvecasing between the ends of said steam-pipe, two valves in said casing, a steam connection communicating with the Valve-chamber between the two valves and with the steam-space of the boiler and a Valve in said steam connection.

1l). The combination with a boiler, an accumulator disposed above the water-line of the boiler and means for automatically discharging hot wat-er from the boiler to the accumulator and vice versa, and an injector, of a steam-pipe communicating` with the steamspaee of the accumulator and with the injector, a manually-'operated valve in said pipe, a float in the accumulator, a valve for the steam-pipe connected with said float and an indicator connected with said float, substantially as set forth.

ln testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

WASILlY KOUZNEZOFF.-

XVitnesses:

NIXITA GLUPENKOFF, WILHELM LIEBERMAN. 

